What term names the set of five layers of neurotic avoidance: the phony, the phobic, the impasse, the implosive, and the explosive?

• A. Phobic Layer
• B. The five layers of defense
• C. Introjection
• D. Modes of Defense

Answer: (D)

The set of five layers of neurotic avoidance is named modes of defense. This umbrella label groups how people unconsciously cope with anxiety across a continuum from more superficial, performative defenses (phoney) to more extreme forms (explosive). Using the term modes of defense helps clinicians discuss how these patterns—phoney, phobic, impasse, implosive, and explosive—reflect different ways a person avoids or manages painful emotions. The other options don’t name this particular family: a single defense (introjection) isn’t the whole set, a “phobic layer” or “five layers” phrasing isn’t the standard umbrella, and the recognized overarching term is modes of defense.